Block for flooring



A-ug- 26, 1930. H. c. NlELsx-:N 1,773,848

BLOCK FOR .FLOORING Filed March 14:,v 1929 I N VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Aug. 26, 193() PATENT OFFICE HERMAN C. NIELSEN, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE BLOCK FOR FLOORING Application led March 14, 1929. Serial lo. 347,044.

The present invention relates to blocks and block flooring, the blocks being made up in the manner described below in such a way as to be readily assembled at the point of use 5 to form a floor which Will vcombine durability, beauty and any desired/color effects.

v In Figure 1 I have shown a top plan v1ew of a modification in which thetop of the edge is square. Figure 2 is a similar view 1.0 with the to of the edge beveled off` on all four sides o the block to give a V shapedshallow trough around the edge of each square, after laying the floor.

Figure 3 is a top plan view and F1gure4 is a vertical section' on the line ftp-lof Figure 1, of' a portion of completed floor using the blocks 'with the square top edges. Figure 5 is a side view of such a block showinglarge dowel pins.l 'Figure 6 is a side view of a similar block having smaller dowel pins. Figure 7 is a top plan view and 'Figure 8 isa vertical section of a ortion of a floor in whichthe blocks with eveled top edges are employed.

The lumber from which the blocks are made is of any desired variety,.and this lumber is firstimpregnated with a water-proofing material, such for example as that disclosed in my copending application of even rial should be such as to give a substantially complete water-proofing -of the block and any desired colorin of the wood,'without leaving an excess o oil to bleed out during handling'or during changes intemperature to which the come subjecte The boards may beof the cross section shown in Figure 8 if desired.

For assembling the boards together I may use large dowel'pins 11 as shown in Figurey 5 or I may use smaller dowel lpins as shown ,at 12 in Figure 6. The larger dowel pins are preferred, and these dowel pins are preferably first soaked in` a glue solution, for which purpose casein glue has been found to be very satisfactory. Heretofore in making blocks of the general characterhere reyLferred to, it has been the practice to groove alll the wav around a block or on three sides of 'the block, and to introduce separate f lwith the board, not onl date herewith. This water-proofing mate- Cproduct would ordinarily be,

tongues or. splines which are nailed into the grooves on two adjacent sides. I ,haveshown thatvwhen using a water-proofed wood as in the present invention it is considerably more advisable to make the tongues integral on the sides but also on the end of the lock.- The boards used are preferably tongue and grooved boards. The tongues are shown on the edge of the block at 13 and on the end of the block at 14 and I call attention to the fact, that the corner Yof the tongue is preferably. cut off as shown at 15 in Figures l and 2. The joints 16 between the several boards in a particular block are preferably filled at the time ofmaking the block with a suitable water-proof adhesive such as casein glue.

It willbe noted that in Figure 4 4and Figi ure 5 thel dowel pins are shown as being of a diameter somewhat greater than the width of the groove 17 and accordingly greater than i the lthickness of the tongues 13. These dowels are preferably placed in 'holes which -are very slightly above the vertical center of the board -and thereby the dowel holdsthe surface of the board together much'better than would -be the case if th'dowels were lower down.

- It willbe noted that the' dowel pins pro- I Verboard fashion in the floor to be made, or

I may arrange the different colored lblocks in such a way as to produce other effects, such as borders and the like.

The blocks as made at the factory are preferably finished, that isft-o say planed or sandpapered and varnished, preferably with a" transparent varnish so that an entire fioor can be laid without subsequently varnishing the floor.

As pointed out in my copending application above referred to, lacquer varnish will adhere to the water-proofed wood without cracking or peeling or separating from the wood.

There is a special function'in the V shaped shallow troughs 18, produced by the beveled edges of the blocks, in connection Withla varnished flooring, the elements of which have been surface coated at the factory, in that 5 any slight diii'erences in thickness of the different blocks will not be apparent in the tinished floor. In some cases it may be advisable to fill this V shaped trough 18 with a suitable plastic composition, Which may be ot a different color from any of the blocks constituting the door or in case the Hoor is made of uncolored Wood, the composition may be of the same color as the Wood or adiierent color if desired.

.- In the above description I have referred particularly to the use o1c these blocks in malring iioors. It 'will be understood that the bloelrs are alsoapplicable with similar advantages for other interior trimming, as for 9,) example Wainscoting, ceilings, paneling and the like.

It is rather surprising that casein glue or similar glue Will adhere Well to an oiled Wood,

both in connection with the dowel pins and in connection with gluing the edges of the boards together in the block. 'In this connection I call attention to the fact that the Wood is impregnated vvith such an amout oit oil only as will constitute a film on the surface of each cell Wall, Without completely iilling the cells.

I claim l. A floor block having a tongue formed on one side edge, and a groove on the other :z5 side edge, said block consisting of a plurality of boards arranged side by side and having dowel pins extending transversely therethrough and into the said tongue whereby to reinforce the latter.

4o 2. A floor block consisting of a plurality of tongued and grooved boards arranged side by side and having dovvel pins extending transversely therethrough .and into the tongue at the edge ot' the block whereby to reinforce the tongue, said dowel pins being of greater diameter than the Width of the groove and extending flush With the grooved outer edge of the block whereby to interlock with the tongue ofthe adjacent block.

` In testimony Vwhereof I aiiix my signature.

HERMAN C. NIELSEN. 

